"He will appear before the French and say 'I am a failure as president for five years, I'm a dirty guy, but re-elect me because, in these difficult times, I am the only one capable.' "

The offensive phrase in question, "sale mec", literally translates as "dirty guy", though can be translated as "a piece of work" or something along those lines.

Now the French right wing are rounding on Hollande's apparent vulgarity. One UMP party member, Valerie Rosso-Debord, is quoted in the Telegraph as saying: "Frankly, it's a red card offence. You do not insult the president of the republic."